The present relates generally to the field of semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to the interconnection and packaging of an integrated circuits having metal bonding pads.
Integrated circuits (ICs) typically have one or more semiconductor-based circuits wired by metal interconnects, which in turn, have terminal inputs and outputs (I/O) to external circuitry. These ICs are often mounted on a mounting area of a lead frame having leads. Each I/O terminal is then connected to a lead by a thin bonding wire, which is typically made of gold or aluminum.
In making interconnections within an IC, each region of the semiconductor is provided with an electrode for connection with the bonding wire for connecting regions of the IC to each other. For those connections having an external lead, a bonding pad or electrode is typically prepared for making the desired interconnection. This is often accomplished by connecting a bonding wire to the electrode or bond pad by means of thermocompression or thermosonic bonding to form a small, rigid ball at the end of the bonding wire. This small ball is then pressed onto the electrode under high temperature while ultrasonically exciting the wire.